The Deadlands

Chapter 1 - The Promise

Nothing could defend her against the acidic sound, even so, Lilith pulled the pillow over her head and groaned in despair.

"Please stop," she mumbled. "Just one day of peace."

Lilith grumbled and squeezed the pillow tighter over her face. Suffocation was infinitely better than torture by Jinette's vocal cords. Jinie bellowed and screeched the lyrics of a love song from across the tiny bedroom. She only sung when happy. Unfortunately for anyone with ears, she had been singing non-stop for three months, since Gerrat Glomer asked for her hand in marriage. During that time, Lili concluded her sister was part banshee, and adopted. It was the only explanation that made sense to the younger sibling.

Lili screamed into her pillow. The wailing about love, hearts, and souls destroyed her sanity piece by piece. She threw the pillow. The heavy curtain billowed before a thud sounded on the wooden floor.

"Oh good, you're up at last," Jinie said.

Lili let out a deep sigh and swished the curtain aside and climbed from the top bunk. She yelped when her hair snagged on the sloped, wood ceiling. She tugged her hair free and landed on the floor with a thump that rattled the entire structure.

"I'm definitely up," Lili mumbled and turned to face her sister who carefully unravelled a multitude of plaits.

"You're always so grumpy in the morning," Jinie said as she admired her reflection in the mirror. "And every other hour of the day," she added softly.

Lili grunted. She rummaged through the drawers at the end of the bunk and haphazardly pulled out clothes. The two sisters were nothing alike. Jinette was classically pretty, fair, and feminine with curves in all the right places. She unconsciously flirted with her big blue eyes and long fluttering lashes. Golden locks fell in waves to her waist. Her dresses, shoes, and accessories were always coordinated and pristine. But her selfishness and work ethic were ugly.

 "Did you get my flowers? Are you hiding them as a surprise?" Jinie clapped her hands. "I love surprises."

"No, not yet."

Jinie gasped. "Why not? My wedding is tomorrow." She turned to glare at her younger sister. "You promised! I need those flowers. The orange lace trim on my dress will look ridiculous without the Orange Frissie in my bouquet and hair." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you want me to look ridiculous?"

Lili stiffened. "Of course not. I'm getting them today. If I got them earlier, they'd be dead by tomorrow."

Jinie stared at her sister. "Well, that's okay then." She flicked her delicate wrist and swivelled on the stool to continue unplaiting her hair.

Lili sighed. Uncle Lex would kill her when he discovered where the flowers grew, but she made the promise in a moment of weakness. It was too late to abandon the plan. She stripped off her thermal one-piece nightsuit and shivered under the cold, dripping washcloth. She dried and rubbed lemon grass on her skin. As she dressed in a shirt, trousers, and knee-high boots she plotted her day, starting with coffee, obviously.

"Can you bring my breakfast up for me, I've got so much to do today."

Halfway through the hatch to the empty animal pen below, Lili paused. She shook her head and ground her teeth so hard it sounded like the rumbling of Mount Doon'an.

"I dont have time today. Come to the cottage." She raised her eyebrows at her scowling sister. "Unless you want me to forget the flowers?"

Jinie huffed. "Fine! I'll come down."

She turned her back on Lili and returned to brushing her long, wavy hair. In a frilly, white nightdress, Jinie belonged in a northside manor house, not a lean-to attached to a one room cottage on the southside of town. Lili shook her head. Tomorrow, everything would be set right. Jinie's singing resumed and Lili fled to the cottage.